WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 257 



Native dyes are generally set by boiling the yarn in a mixture contain- 

 ing human urine ; commercial dyes, in a solution of alum and water. 

 Women do the dyeing. Today dyeing is done in kettles used for 

 cooking ; formerly it was done in ollas. 



Weaving is done on rectangular looms by women and older girls. 

 Articles woven are ponchos, cloth for women's clothes, belts, head- 

 bands, blankets, throws, and saddle covers. Designs used have no 

 significance ; they are generally conventional ones, often merely stripes. 



Traditional basketry products in use during the present study were 

 the wilal (a carrying bag), the kiilko (a carrying and storage basket), 

 the chaiwe (a sieving, drainage, filtering, and storage basket), and the 

 llepii (a winnowing tray). These were made of plant fibers. Wilal 

 are netted by adults and children; women specialists weave kulko 

 and twine chaiwe ; men coil llepu. 



Women make pottery by the coil method, without decorations. The 

 traditional olla (potlike container) and the cantaro (juglike container) 

 are made today from brown and black clay with finely ground pumice 

 used as adhesive. Since the olla is used as a cooking vessel, it is fired 

 to a greater degree than is the cantaro which is used to carry and 

 store water. Silversmithing, it appears, is a lost art. 



